Nomination for Foster, Gen. Gideon, House

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 (Rev. 10-74) PH0354961 UNITEDSTATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE DATA SHEET FOR NPS USE ONLY JAN 3 0 1976 RECEIVED NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM DATE ENTERED JUN 2 3 1976 DBH 76000 297 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS 1 NAME HISTORIC ** General Gideon Foster House AND/OR COMMON 2 LOCATION STREET & NUMBER Peabody Historical Society Headquarters 35 Washington Street CITY.

TOWN Peabody STATE Massachusetts CLASSIFICATION - VICINITY OF CODE 025 _NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Sixth COUNTY Essex CODE 009 CATEGORY _DISTRICT XBUILDING(S) _STRUCTURE _SITE _OBJECT OWNERSHIP _PUBLIC XPRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION _IN PROCESS _BEING CONSIDERED STATUS XOCCUPIED -UNOCCUPIED -WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE XYES: RESTRICTED - YES: UNRESTRICTED -NO PRESENT USE _AGRICULTURE XMUSEUM _COMMERCIAL -PARK X_EDUCATIONAL _PRIVATE RESIDENCE _ENTERTAINMENT _RELIGIOUS GOVERNMENT _SCIENTIFIC -INDUSTRIAL TRANSPORTATION -MILITARY _OTHER: 4 OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME Peabody Historical Society, Ina. STREET & NUMBER 35 Washington Street CITY. TOWN Peabody _ VICINITY OF 5 LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION OURTHOUS EGISTRY OF DEEDS, ET South Essex Registry of Deeds STREET & NUMBER STATE Massachusetts 01960 32 Federal Street CITY.

TOWN Salem 6 REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS STATE Massachusetts TITLE Inventory of the Historic Assets of the Commonwealth DATE _FEDERAL X STATE COUNTY _LOCAL 197. EPOSITORY FOI SURVEY RECORDS Massachusetts Historical Commission CITY, TOWN Boston STATE Massachusetts 02108 7 DESCRIPTION CONDITION XEXCELLENT _GOOD -FAIR _DETERIORATED _RUINS _UNEXPOSED CHECK ONE X UNALTERED _ALTERED CHECK ONE _ORIGINAL SITE XMOVED DATE 1854 DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

The General Gideon Foster House is located on Washington Street near the center of Peabody- Moved to its present site in 1854, it stands not far from its ori- ginal location on nearby Main Street. The General Gideon Foster House (c.1810) is a three-story Federal style house which remains virtually unaltered since the time of its construction. Although on a less sophisticated scale, the house recalls the dignified MoIntire houses built by merchants in nearby Salem. The five-bay facade has shuttered windows with two over two sash. The central entrance has a shallow enclosed porch with sidelights on either side of the door. Side elevations of the main section have two windows on each level. The house is covered with clapboards painted white and is topped with a hip roof. A rear ell extends to the west and is three bays deep.

A side entrance on the south elevation of the ell has a bracketed overhang of the mid-nineteenth century. On the interior of the house is a central hall and stairway. There is also a rear stairway which leads to the ell. The plan is typical of the Federal period. There are three fireplaces and mantels in the house, the one in the library being of the McIntire type. The house also features McIntire-inspired wood cornices. In the front the house opens directly onto a brick sidewalk and to the rear the lot is terraced.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD _PREHISTORIC -1400-1499 -1500-1599 -1600-1699 -1700-1799 X1800-1899 -1900- ARCHEOLUGY-PREHISTORIC _ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC ARICULTRE X ARCHITECTURE -ART _COMMERCE -COMMUNICATIONS AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW _COMMUNITY PLANNING LLANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _CONSERVATION -LAW ECONOMICS _LITERATURE EDUCATION XMILITARY -ENGINEERING -MUSIC _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT _PHILOSOPHY _INDUSTRY POLITICS/GOVERNMENT _INVENTION _RELIGION _SCIENCE _SCULPTURE _SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN -THEATER _TRANSPORTATION -OTHER (SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES 1810 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECT The General Gideon Foster House is significant as the home of a Revolutionary war hero and as an important Federal period building in central Peabody. The house was originally built on Main Street between Littles Lane and Park Street, later the site of the Sutton Estate. The land for the house was sold on August 9, 1808 by William W. Little to John Saunders, a merchant. Around 1810 Saunders built his house on the four-acre lot. In 1815 the house was bought by General Gideon Foster who had earlier achieved fame in the Revolutionary War. Foster had commanded a company of Minutemen from Peabody at the Battle of Lexington, and he had also served in Colonel Mansfield's regiment in the siege of Boston. At the Battle of Bunker Hill, Foster's company supplied ammunition.

For his continuing contributions to the patriots' cause, he was pro- moted to Colonel in 1792, Brigadier General in 1796, and in 1801 he was elected Major General by the State Legislature. General Gideon Foster was born in Peabody in 1749 and throughout his life played an active role in town life. He was one of the most influential citizens in the town and held a number of public offices such as town clerk and Representative to the General Court. He operated bark, grist and chocolate mills in Peabody and the machinery of his mills was of his own planning and construction. Foster died at nearly 97 years of age and he was buried with high military and civic honors with a eulogy delivered by the Honorable Daniel P. King, a State Senator and Congressman from Peabody. In 1831 the house on Main Street was sold to Eben Sutton, a prominent wool manufac- turer.

Iwenty-three years later Sutton sold the house to Franklin Merrill with the stipulation that it be moved off the Main Street lot. Merrill acquired land on Washington Street in 1854 and moved the General Gideon Foster House to its present site. The house remained in the Merrill family until 1916 when it was sold to the Pea- body Historical Society. In recent years the house has been completely renovated and restored following years of neglect. Today it serves as the home of the His- torical Society and houses collections of early pottery, an early Fire Department exhibit, a chair belonging to the first minister of Peabody, a large library of rare books and newspapers, and numerous other historical treasures of Peabody including Revolutionary War items.

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Hill, Ruth H. History of Peabody Historical Society. Wells, John A. The Peabody Story- Essex Institute, 1972. Wells, John A. Real Estate Transfers, 1807 to 1916. 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY hacre UTM REFERENCES (22,740 square feet) AL1,9] 13/4,1/8,8,0 ZONE EASTING cLL VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION 14,710,914,2,01 NORTHING *ZÓNE EASTING NORTHING LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE CODE COUNTY CODE STATE CODE COUNTY CODE 11FORM PREPARED BY NAME / TITLE JudRNz Aobbs, Nationa1 Register Bditox, and John A.

Wells, Feabody Historica1 Conmisgion Massachusetts Historical Commission January 20, 1976 STREET & NUMBER TELEPHONE 294 Washington Street 617-727-8470 CITY OR TOWN STATE Boston Massachusetts 02108 12 STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION THE EVALUATED SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY WITHIN THE STATE IS: NATIONAL- STATE_ LOCALX As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-665),1 hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set forth by the National Park Service.

STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER SIGNATURE Pli abuth leed Amaden TITLE Executive Director, Massachusetes Historioal CommissioPATE 1/12/26, FOR NPS USE ONLY I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THISPROPERTY IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER Apting DATE ATTEST TRECTOR OEFICE OF ARCHEOL DATE 6/23/26 6:22.26 KEEPER OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER GPO 892.453 Property frater, Seneral Sideon, Hause State Mass. Working Number 1, 30. 76.2426 TECHNICAL Photos _/ Maps Esses CONTROL pl OK 2,24.76 HISTORIAN Accept E. Smith 5-18-76 ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN ACCERT 3-4-26 5.31 LEBErCs ARCHEOLOGIST Bill- What's the possibility of an H.D. in Peabodu Which would include this? N.B. the house next to it. -yes, but Tocal people K. dorit som (ooperate So Mass canthommi.

OTHER HAER Inventory - Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF Accrpt Cole 5.3+76 BRANCH CHIEF National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 8-3-26 Send-back Re-submit Entered United States Department of the Interior National Park Service WASO No. 7 KEEPER Hunt 6.23:26 JUN 23 1976 IN T:2106-74 Form No. 10-301a (Pev.

10-7+) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED JAN 3 0 1976 DATE ENTERED JUN 23 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH NAME HISTORIC General Gideon Foster House AND/OR COMMON Peabody Historical Society Headquarters LOCATION CITY, TOWN _VICINITY OF COUNTY Peabody Essex PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT Peabody Historical Society DATE OF PHOTO 1975 NEGATIVE FILED AT Peabody Historical Society, 35 Washington Street, Peabody IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW. DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET Easterly facade, facing Washington Street. STAT PHOTO Form No. 10-301 (Rev.

10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY MAP FORM FOR NPS USENSYO 1976 RECEIVED IDATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES - ENCLOSE WITH MAP JUN 23 1976 2 3 4 NAME HISTORIC General Gideon Foster House AND/OR COMMON Peabody Historical Society Headquarters LOCATION CITY. TOWN Peabody MAP REFERENCE SOURCE USGS, Salem Quadrangle SCALE 1:24000 REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. PROPERTY BOUNDARIES 2. NORTH ARROW 3. UTM REFERENCES VICINITY OF DATE 1970 COUNTY Essex STATE MA ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS Date Entered JUN 23 1976 Name Foster, General Gideon, House Location Peabody Essex County Also Notified Hon. Edward M. Kennedy Hon. Edward W. Brooke Hon. Michael J.

Harrington ce: Regional Director, North Atlantic Region (PR:MMott:cam:7/1/76 State Historic Preservatinn Officer Mrs. E1iaabeth R. Amadon Executive Director, Hassachusetts Historical Comnission 294 Washington Sereet Boston, Massachusetts 02108 INT: 2950-75 WASO-166 (August 1971) 1. CALL [X) TO: U. S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE TELEPHONE REPORT FROM (Name) -Tudy dots 3. SUBJECT, PROJECT N ATe June 6,1976 TIME OF CALL 10:00 2. ADDRESS (Tel. No. if needed) MA SHPOFEICE 4. DETAILS OF DISCUSSION Passibility of histore distiets? they had suggested a dithiet, but it took Pdu histouial commision a yoou to do thes oue. yes a clistrit, motly late 19Et( architatire NAME OF PERSON PLACING/RECEIVING CALL TITLE OFFICE GPO 897-848 RECEIVED JUL 27 1976 MASS. HIST. CONIDI Park Street, is significent as the home of a Revolu- Thehouse, originally Eisef - BODY - The Gen.

CJl Foster House, home of the Peabody Historical Society, - has been included in the Na- t1onal Register Historic Places. State Secretary Paul director of the National Park Ser- tionary War hero an important Federal period building in central Peabody. The land for the house was sold on Aug. D, 1808, by William W. Little to John Saunders, a merchant. About 1810, Saunders built his house on the four acre lot. In 1815, - the house was purchased by General Gideon Foster i who had earlier achieved fame in the Revolu- tionary War. The General had commanded a company of Minutemen from Peabody at the Bat- tle of Lexington, and had See HOUSE, Page 12 10 DAILY EVENING JTEM LYNN, MA. D. 32,440 JUL 20 1976 New. England Newsclip D 402 EO HOUSENTGR M H37 9:69 vr1 {Continued From Page One) served Colonel Mansfield's regiment in the siege of Boston.

At the Bat- tle of Bunker Hill, Foster's company supplied ammuni- tion. For his continuing con- tributions to the patriots' cause, he was promoted to colonel in 1792, ge brigadier al W 2S by abody's historic home citedi 1ch às To pres en ta Court. He operated bark, grist and chocolate mills in Peabody and the machinery of his mills was of his own planning and constructing. General Foster died in 1846 after nearly a century of ac- tive participation in the af- fairs and events of his time. He was buried with hish military and civic honors with an eulogy delivered by the Honorable Daniel P. King, a State senator and congressman from Peabody. In 1831 the house on Main Street'was sold to Eben Sut- ton, a prominent wool manufacturer. Sutton sold the house 23 yéars later to Franklin Merrill with the stipulation that it be moved off the Main Street lot.

Mer- rill acquired Washington land on Street in 1851 and moved the house to its present location. The house remained in the merrill family until 1916 when it was sold to the Peatudy Historical Society. JUL 22 1975 New England Nemarlin Essex Gideon Foster House admitted to national historic register PEABODY - The General Gideon cial tours. in,1749 and throughout his life player! Foster House, headquarters of the Inthepast twoyears, the newly an important role in town affairs. He Penbody Historical Society, has been active society has completely reno- was one of Peabody's most influen- accepted for inclusion in the National vated and restored the house which tial citizens and held a number of Register of Historic Places, had suffered from years of negleet.

town offices such as town clerk and The announcement came this week The building, houses collections of representative fo the general court. from Secretary of State Paul Guzzi carly poctry, an carly Fire Depart- For many years, he eperated bark, who is chairman of the Massüchü- ment ,exhibit, Asa Bushby oils, a. gristand chocolate mills in the down- setts Historical Commission. chair belonging to the first minister town area and was responsible for The three-storyFederalstyle of Peabody, a large library of rareboth planning and construction of the house, now located on Washington books and newspapers and numnerous mills. Street, was the home of the Peabody historical treasurcs includingmany Revolutionary War patriot who led a Revolutionary War items.

After almost a century of active company of Tanner City minutemen Land for the house was sold on life, he died in 1846 and was buried to fight in the Battle of Lexington. Aug. 9, 1808 by William W. Litlle to with high military and civic honers Designed in the mode of Salem John Saunders, a merchant. Around with a eulogy delivered by the llen Architect Samuel MeIntire, the white 1810, Saunders built a house on the Daniel P. King, a state senator ?rr clapboard house was originally bullt four acre plot. congressman from Peabody. on Main Street between Littles Lane The building wasbought by Gen. and Park Street, Il was moved to its Foster in 1815, and remained his -The Foster House remained in the present location in 1854. home until it was sold to Eben Sutton, Sutton family for 23 years unti! 103 Naming of the site.

to the National a prominent wool manufacturer, in when Franklin Merrill bought it and Register makes it eligible for certain 1831. promised to move it off its Main renovation funds and also protects In addition lo his outstanding ser- Street lot: Merrill acquired land on the house against destruction stem- vice at the Battle of Lexington, the Washington Street where the hou ming from a federal project. home's most famous resident partici- has been ever since. The bouse and the. historical' so- pated in the siege of Boston as part of ciety which occupies it are run as a co. Mansfield's regiment. At the non-profit organization by a private Battle of Bunker Hill, it was a com- group of local history buffs who meet pany led by Foster which supplied Tuesday nights at the house. New: much-needed ammunition.

members and interested persons are In reward for his efforts during the always welcome at the Tuesday ses- Revolutien, Foster was promoted to sions. colonel in 1792, brigadier general In Besides the meeting-work sessions, 1796 and.in 1801 he was elected major e house is openedto thepublic: general by the state legislature. iodleally for open houses and spe The general was boen in Peabody The historiea! socioty bought 1he house in 1916 from the Nerril! family The house's five-bay facade hes shet- tered windews with two over twe sash. The contral entranee has ; shallow, enelesed porch with sice- lights on either siric of the door. President of the historical socic!! is Noil Corning, who has led efforte ie renovate the house.

Gen, Gideon Foster House mol : NR Data Sheet DATE: Reviewer 5-18-76 INITIALS: EAS DOE NR JUN 23 1976 NAME AS IT APPEARS IN FEDERAL REGISTER: Foster, Hengeant Sideon, Hoüise OTHER: WNS: feabody Historical Societz teadquanters Sec, LOCATION: STREET & NUMBER CITY.

TOWN 35 Washington FSto Peabody STATE Massichusetts VICINITY OF 025 CONGRESSIUNAL DISTRICT 6th COUNY Essex code 009 OWNER OF PROPERTY: (Circle) PRIVATE STATE LOCAL GOV'T MUNICIPAL COUNTY OTHER ADMINISTRATOR(underline) FEDERAL (AGENCY NAME) : NPS REGION: (CIRCLE) N.ATLANTIC MID ATLANTIC SOUTHEAST MIDWEST SOUTHWEST ROCKY MOUNTAIN WEST PACIFIC NORTHWEST FEATURES: INTERIOR -Substantially intact-1 unknown - 4 I not applicable - 7 CONDITION - LEXCELLENT _GOOD -FAIR EXTERIOR -Substantially intact-2 SuVrtanf:a11y intact-3 unknown.-5 - unknown -6 Xnot applicable - 8 _Not applicakle-9 -Interioz, exterior, environs not intact-0 - DETERIORATED KUNALTERED -RUINS ALTERED -UNEXPOSED _Unexcavated -Reconstructed ORIGINAL SITE LMOVED 1854 -Unknewn -Excavated ACCESS - Yes-restricted historic district? Yes-unrestricted YES NO WITHIN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT?

IF YES, NAME: No access Unknown YES NO ADAPTIVE USE: WITHIN NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK? IF YES, NAME: YES NO YES NO Saved ?

YES NO FUNCTION(S): (use vocabulary words) then- Residence now- tistrical Sriety SIGNIFICANCE: -ARCHEOLUGY-PREHISTORIC -ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC -AGRICULTURE 4 LARCHITECTURE -ART -COMMERCE -COMMUNICATIONS Claims -CONSERVATION _ECONOMICS -EDUCATION -ENGINEERING -EXPLORATION LINDUSTRY _INVENTION -LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE -RELIGION _LAW/Gov't/politics SCIENCE -LTERATUR LMILITAR _SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN _MUSIC _PHILOSOPHY - POLITICS/GOVERNMENT -TRANSPORTATION _OTHER (SPECIFY) -entertainment _health -recreation _settlement -socio/cultural _urban & commun planning "first" YES NO "'oldest'2 YES NO "'only" YES NO ARCHITECTURAL, STYLB: FederalStyle architect/m.builder: landscapegarden designer: interior decorator: engineer: artist/artisan: builder/contractor: ETHNIC GROUP: NAMES: per sonal (label role appropriate date) events Deneral Dideon Foster 1815-1830; Elen Sutton 1831-1854;991 *7romkelin Menill 1854-1916.

institutional DATES: DAIE OE CONSAIRLCIONs (specifie date ox 1/4 of century)s: /8/0 DATE (S) OF "MAJOR" ALTERATIONS: HISTORICALLY SICNIFICANT DATE(S): 1815-1916. SOURCE: (OF NOMINATION) PRIVATE STATE OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY: ACREAGE: (to nearest tenth of an acre) . 5 LOCAL GOV"T MUNICIPAL COUNTY COMMENTS: (include architectural information here) 35te fimme atinati sd ti Lest of center. facade with shutteredt uindows, An ell estend frome the dear on the weat and is three bays deep. Frame, clapboardung; 3 stories moled, 1854% Ferfkalfent FShapedelina tepped roap, font center hepped entrance vestilule; Ame af Revalutionarey war hero gen. giden toster SIGNIFICANCE:(maximum two sentences) She senenal Sidem Foster Horse is significant Warhero and as. an te prted te eeint hwedigo antal Peabody,